Stress, PTSD and Anxiety Therapists in Franklin, TN.

Anxiety and stress are completely natural emotions that all of us face at one time or another. Anxiety can actually be very helpful - it makes us want to get things done! Stress can work for us in much the same way - it can motivate us or alert us when we are in situations that may not be the healthiest for us. The problem is when these natural emotions "go off the rails" and begin to adversely impact how we feel and function. My job as your therapist is to help you get the tools that you need so you can take charge of your anxiety and stress and help you put them back in a place where they are healthy and beneficial.

Everyone feels anxiety at some point in their lives but when it starts to interfere with your life, counseling can help. Although anxiety can feel debilitating, it is treatable. People with anxiety don’t always share the same symptoms, they vary from person to person. Therapy will help you to reclaim your life and function in a chronically stressful world.

It is important to know if the source/cause of anxiety is situational or chemical because the source/cause will determine the treatment. Most stress & anxiety is situational and lifestyle or life issues induced, resulting in one or more of the following * extreme worry * fear or dread * inability to concentrate or be productive * inability to relax * sleep deprivation or insomnia * loss of appetite/nausea/weight loss. I can help! If your symptoms include panic attacks and/or physical symptoms such as feeling chilled then I recommend seeing your physician and getting a referral to a psychiatrist because you may need medication (not long term) to address the debilitating physical symptoms.

Understanding how emotions, cognition and behavioral outcomes are related can provide clients with a framework for comprehending their personal experience with anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly helpful with such understanding and clients report substantial symptom reduction over the course of therapy. Relaxation therapy and other symptom reduction techniques might be employed. A thorough assessment with the possible inclusion of a physical with a family physician or an appointment with psychiatrist may be recommended. All sessions begin with focus on what is most important to the client at the time of the session and will serve as a starting point for each session.

In the modern world anxiety and stress have come to be experienced as givens. Some people have the natural makeup to handle a lot of stress and keep functioning reasonably well, others less, but everyone has a breaking point. My clients receive help in two directions... internal and external. Many clients need to develop skills that reduce the external contributors to their anxiety producing stress. Most also need to develop internal cognitive and spiritual practices to deal with external factors that are beyond our control. My clients and I work together to discover how to develop these external skills and internal practices.

Anxiety may come from past trauma or traumatic experiences in your life. Stress is a part of daily living. They are different but stress can build up over time and cause anxiety. Together we will look at how anxiety and stress "shows up" in your life and in your body. We will find out what triggers cause your stress and/or anxiety. Then we will gradually find ways to reduce and eliminate one or both.